Team trials began the next week.
The training grounds transformed overnight. Platforms rose. Banners hung. Seating appeared for spectators—nobles, professors, students eager to watch blood and magic.
Fifty competitors. Three spots.
I stood at the edge, observing.
Lyra beside me, as always. She'd grown too. We both had. Thirteen now, not children anymore. The Conspiracy had shaped us into something harder.
"Nervous about competition?" she asked.
"No."
"Good. Because you shouldn't be." She pointed across the field. "Let me introduce you to your future teammates."
She walked forward. I followed.
---
Darius Stone
Tall. Dark hair. Cold eyes. Standing apart from the other nobles, watching the crowd with mild contempt.
Lyra approached. "Darius."
He glanced at us. "Lyra. And the famous Ren."
"Darius Stone," Lyra said. "Noble family. Good fighter. Doesn't play politics."
Darius's eyebrow rose. "That's your recommendation?"
"It's the truth."
He looked at me. Assessed. "I don't like commoners. I don't like merchants. I don't like most people." Pause. "But I respect strength. You've got it."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Prove it in the trials." He walked away.
Lyra shrugged. "Told you. Doesn't play politics."
---
Mei Lian
Across the field, a girl practiced alone.
Precise movements. Flawless form. Eastern Consortium—I'd read about their schools. Different magic philosophy. Different techniques.
She paused. Looked directly at me.
Held my gaze for a long moment.
Then returned to practice.
"She knows who you are," Lyra murmured.
"Everyone knows who I am now."
"True. But with her, it feels different."
I nodded. Felt it too.
Something about Mei Lian watched more than her eyes showed.
---
The Trials Begin
Three days. Fifty competitors. Three spots.
I watched every match. Evaluated every fighter. Used everything I'd learned—Elara's training, Voss's theory, Lyra's intelligence, my own instincts.
By the end of Day 1, I had a list.
Raw Power: Five standouts. Darius Stone among them. His fire magic was brutal, efficient, devastating.
Teamwork: Three pairs who moved like they shared a mind. Useful for group events.
Potential: Seven underdogs with raw talent and room to grow. No polish. But fire in their eyes.
I sat alone that night, staring at the list.
Lyra found me. "Still deciding?"
"Still watching."
"Trials end tomorrow. You need a team."
"I need the right team." I tapped the list. "Raw power wins fights. Teamwork wins tournaments. Potential wins the future. I need all three."
She sat beside me. "So pick one from each category. Build around them."
I looked at the names.
Darius Stone. Raw power. Reliable. Unlikeable but effective.
Mira Kent (different Mira). Team player. Healer. Keeps people alive.
Theo Vance. Potential. Youngest competitor. Raw talent, no training, desperate to prove himself.
Three names. Three categories. Three chances.
"These three," I said.
Lyra read the list. Nodded slowly. "Darius hates you. Mira's shy. Theo's never fought anyone serious."
"Perfect."
She laughed. "You're insane."
"Probably." I stood. "Let's go meet our team."
---
Meeting the Team – Night
I gathered them in an empty classroom.
Darius arrived first. Arms crossed. Waiting.
Mira came next. Quiet. Curious. Healer's hands.
Theo last. Fifteen, but looked younger. Eyes wide. Nervous.
I stood at the front.
"You're my picks for the tournament team."
Darius raised an eyebrow. "The noble-hater wants a noble?"
"I want the best. You're the best raw power I saw."
He considered that. Nodded once.
Mira spoke softly. "I'm not a fighter. I'm a healer."
"Tournaments have injuries. Healers win wars."
She blinked. Then slowly nodded.
Theo's voice cracked. "I've never—I mean, I'm not—are you sure?"
I looked at him. Saw myself three years ago. Scared. Desperate. Willing to die trying.
"I'm sure."
Silence.
Then Darius spoke. "So what now, Captain?"
Captain. First time anyone called me that.
"Now we train. Together. Learn each other's strengths, weaknesses, and how to fight as one unit." I looked at each of them. "Three months until tournament. We're going to make history."
[TEAM ASSEMBLED]
· Darius Stone: Raw power. Fire specialist. Noble, but focused.
· Mira Kent: Healer. Team player. Quiet strength.
· Theo Vance: Potential. Raw talent. Desperate to prove himself.
· Ren: Captain. Strategist. Wildcard.
[TEAM SYNERGY: BUILDING]
Current compatibility: Low. Needs work.
Potential: High.
---
Weeks of Training
We trained like demons.
Dawn till dusk. Solo drills. Paired exercises. Full team simulations. I pushed them hard—Elara's voice in my head: Break them down, build them back.
Darius resisted at first. Didn't want orders from a commoner.
Then I beat him in a spar. Fair. Clean. Decisive.
After that, he listened.
Mira grew stronger. Her healing magic improved faster than anyone expected. By week three, she could keep us fighting through injuries that would end most teams.
Theo struggled. Fell behind. Almost quit twice.
I pulled him aside after a bad session.
"You remind me of someone."
"Who?"
"Me. Five years ago. Starving in an alley, wondering if I'd survive the night."
He stared at me.
"I didn't have talent. Didn't have training. Didn't have anything except refusal to quit." I met his eyes. "That's enough. If you don't quit."
He didn't quit.
By week six, he was keeping pace.
---
Week Seven – The Memory-Band Pulses
Training ended late. I walked alone through empty corridors.
The memory-band hummed. Warmer than usual. Pulling.
Come find me.
I stopped. Listened.
Nothing.
But below my feet, deep underground, something waited.
I'd almost forgotten the voice. The mystery. The ruins.
Almost.
After the tournament, I told myself. One thing at a time.
But the memory-band pulsed again. Stronger.
Soon.
---
Week Ten – Mei Lian
She appeared at our training session.
Watched from the shadows. Silent. Still.
I approached her afterward.
"You've been watching for weeks."
"Yes."
"Why?"
She studied me. Dark eyes. Unreadable.
"Because you're different. Not just your magic. Something else." She tilted her head. "You have an old soul. Older than your body."
My blood chilled.
"What do you mean?"
"Mean?" She smiled slightly. "Nothing. Just an observation." She turned to leave. "Good luck in the tournament, Ren. We'll meet again."
She disappeared.
I stood there, heart pounding.
Did she know? Could she sense my past life?
Lyra appeared. "What did she want?"
"I don't know."
But I was going to find out.
---
Week Twelve – Ready
Three months passed.
Team Valdris stood on the training grounds, packed and ready. Darius. Mira. Theo. Me.
Behind us, the academy watched. Professors. Students. Lyra, waving.
Ahead, the tournament city. Rivals. Danger. Mystery.
Voss approached. Clasped my shoulder.
"You're ready. All of you." He lowered his voice. "But Ren—be careful. The tournament grounds are old. Older than anyone admits. There are stories..."
"What kind of stories?"
"Ruins beneath. Things that should stay buried." He met my eyes. "You have a habit of finding trouble. Try not to find too much."
I nodded.
But the memory-band hummed.
And I knew.
Trouble would find me anyway.
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Quest Complete: BUILDING THE TEAM
· Status: Success
· Team Synergy: High
· Reward: 1500 EXP + [Team Leader] trait
[NEW QUEST: THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS]
· Objective: Arrive at tournament city. Assess competition. First matches ahead.
· Team Status: Ready.
· Rivals: 12 schools. Countless competitors.
· Unknowns: Mei Lian. Draven Blackwood. The ruins below.
[LEVEL UP!]
Ren: Level 12 → Level 13
Stat points available: 5 (total unspent: 38)